Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

Grant Guidelines: Berkshire Hills Fund for Excellence

The Berkshire Hills Fund for Excellence (BHFE) is an endowed fund whose purpose is to enhance and enrich the educational experience of the students and teachers in the Berkshire Hills Regional School District (BHRSD). BHFE wants to ensure the highest level of achievement for the students and enhance their capacity to achieve excellence both in school and in the community.

2011 Funding Available for Projects in Science, Mathematics and the Environment

In addition to the fund’s regular grantmaking, this year thanks to a major gift from Sabic Innovative Plastics to Berkshire Taconic’s Educational Enrichment Funds, there will be $3,000 available for grants in the areas of science, mathematics and the environment. We encourage applications for projects that demonstrate innovation and creativity in these areas.

2011 Funding Available for Expeditionary Learning Projects

In addition to the fund’s regular grantmaking, this year there will be $5,900 available for expeditionary learning programs.

Expeditionary Learning is a curriculum designed to promote critical thinking, skills and habits, academic achievement, and personal development through the use of in-depth investigations that engage students in community, projects, and service. An expedition brings experts into the classroom, takes students into the field, and engages students in real world learning experiences.

Applications are encouraged for projects involving the participation of any student of the Berkshire Hills School District including non-college bound and special needs students.

Eligibility

Grants from the Fund will not replace public dollars for the school district. BHFE seeks primarily to help cover the direct costs of projects (not salaries). Priority will be given to proposals that rely on volunteer efforts and that show additional means of support.

Preference is given to new projects. The funding priority is to encourage innovation rather than to provide on-going support to a particular project or program.

The Superintendent of Schools will confirm that applications are consistent with the school district mission. The Superintendent will then forward all applications to the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation staff which will review for appropriateness, format, and to assure the tax-exempt status of the project. Once these administrative steps have been completed, the fund committee will rank applications and allocate available funds to approved applications. Their recommendations will be reviewed by Berkshire Taconic’s board of directors.

Berkshire Taconic does not support organizations which in their constitution, by-laws, or practice, discriminate against a person or group on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief.

Awards

Grants awarded will generally range from $100 to $3,000. Larger awards may be considered if funds are available.

Applicants will be informed of BHFE’s decision within two months of the deadline date.

Review Criteria

Applications will be reviewed using the following criteria:

• Excellence: Is the project or service truly of a high quality? Is it the right time for the project? Does it involve qualified individuals/groups?
• Impact: What is the potential impact of the project or service on student learning and the community? That includes both the number of students involved and the quality of the experience.
• Ability: Is the project well thought out, feasible and is it likely to be successfully completed?

Applications will be reviewed by the BHFE Board comprised of community members, parents, teachers, students, the superintendent and the school community. The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Board of Directors will review committee recommendations.

If you have any questions about the fund, email us at programs@berkshiretaconic.org.